Friday, May 25, 2018

After noting a post related to the same, on somewhat of a whim, we dropped in on the Crossroads for the evening. The show was slated to start at 6 pm, but they must have been a little behind. It was no matter really. We needed some sustenance. Fortunately, this venue comes with relatively reasonable food and drinks.

The first cover band, Gypsies, Doves and Dreams took the stage sometime around 7 pm, and they were really good. Playing all the Fleetwood Mac favorites, and didn't miss a beat. The singer did a great job, sounding almost like like the real deal.

After an hour or so of play time, they relinquished the stage to setup for the next act, who did not take long at all. It was only about 15 minutes between acts, just enough time to locate a fresh beverage and use available facilities.

Just about the sun dropped behind the Kansas City skyline, Elton Dan fired up on stage. This group launched into one Elton John hit after another, and the band did as good a job as the previous covering these tunes. Elton Dan, lead singer and pianist was good, but offered a slightly different tone.

They only played for about an hour too, ending the night somewhat early. It had been a fun little experience though, and a chance to get out and hear some live music, at a great venue, without breaking the bank.

Another Free Friday is coming up soon. July 13th features The Phantastics, and the Friday after that features Hi-Lux, Neo-Soul, and DJ Kay-Fan. We look forward to dropping in on one of these, or maybe both.

Monday, May 07, 2018

The opportunity to see K.Flay eluded us for more than a year. Every time she came to town, it was not known until the day of or after. Hope was nearly lost, and then came the tour in promotion of her new album “Every Where is Some Where.”

Tickets were obtained, and then another blow to the timeline. The date was cancelled and rescheduled four months out. She had been nominated for a Grammy, and for good reason. The Suburban Rap Queen was quickly making a name for herself, releasing track after track over the last few years, culminating in the release of this recent album.

I first heard her more than a year ago. “Stop, Focus” came over the speakers, while visiting a good friend, and I was blown away. Obtaining copy of her catalog, the diversity of her tracks created a bit of an addiction; one might say a musical crush.

It is much more than that though. She is that good. Listening to all her published work beyond the simple catalog, one can tell she is real, not to mention, extremely talented. A chronological listening adventure unveils continued musical growth, and we look forward to more.

Held at a relatively new venue in Kansas City, the show at the Truman kicked off early for about 50 folks willing to ante up for a VIP ticket. It started with a meet-and-greet with K.Flay, who was sincere, friendly, and genuine. It was a privilege to meet her!

She followed with a brief acoustic set with her bandmates. Always a favorite when you get that close to a performance, everyone enjoyed sitting on floor at her feet, listening to her render a few of her tunes in a more subtle format. Indeed, a little hesitant at first, all were singing along by the time it ended. There was more to come, but not just yet.

Warming up the stage shortly after, local Kansas City band Yes You Are played a fun and interesting set with their own diversity of sounds. They felt a little 80s synth-pop at first, bleeding over to a sound inspired by popular alternative from the 90s. We will have to find an opportunity to hear them again.

After a brief intermission, and lots of anticipation, K.Flay took the stage. We were glued to our position throughout the entire show, only a meter away. Part of that was the number people, but most of it was just not wanting to give up that space.

She hammered through track after track of her more popular tunes and most of the new album, along with the Harvey Danger anthem, “Flagpole Sitta.” Everyone seemed to know every tune. Only one, I had not heard before, but it was instantly a favorite.

The entire evening was a fun and exciting musical journey through what had become some of our favorite tunes during the last year. K.Flay is every bit as good live as in the studio, and every bit as energetic as she appears in the public realm. The source of her energy remains elusive, but we hope her return to Kansas City will not. We look forward to "Another Round."

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

With Halloween having been on a Sunday, things pretty much died down for the rest of the first week of November 2004. The following weekend was somewhat quiet too, with the only significant even being Kazel appearing at Kabal.

We dropped back by on Monday to check out chill evening that had apparently been going on for about a month or so. Who knew? It was good and prompted us to head out again on Wednesday for another new night at the Grand Emporium.

One weekend after another exploded after that. Frisky held another in the Acid House series, while The Point turned out as always. Joe head out to St Louis on Saturday for a party at Club Legit, featuring Spree.

Meanwhile, I stayed in town for Tortured Soul and later, a party down in at the Uptown, with support from a new photographer, Roxy. Extending the weekend one more day, another themed event celebrating Scorpio packed the Empire Room.

The following Friday, the Crystal Method put on a live DJ set for a mostly packed house on Friday in Lawrence. Kabal celebrated their second anniversary with as many folks again the following night, while those not of age partied with Soul Slinger at a new space in Kansas City.

A gathering of regional bartender talent competed at the Beaumont Club on Sunday, showcasing their skills at mixology. We did not extend the weekend after all of that, and really only went out randomly the following Friday, stopping by The Point first, and then for a visit to Wicked Fridays at the Empire Room.

Saturday, another new night fired up, and kind of fizzled out. It was a good way to start off the night, before heading over to check out Gabriel & Dresden, which was surprisingly vacant. That was definitely not the case with Dave Audé though.

Access to all of these events is restored. You can learn more about them through their respective event post, or scan through all of the events recently restored from November 2004. Spliced with various commentary, which will eventually be updated, a link to additional photos for each appears at the bottom of every post.

Random photos were taken along the way, not associated with any particular event, are hosted within the encounters album. It is always being updated with various things, also hosting photos from events with less than five shots.

Have some thoughts about this column, or anything else related to the events or photos? Leave a comment below, or on any of the event postings or pages of the site.

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